LISTEN: Whyte House Family Devotions: A Prayer for the Family, the Church, the Nation and the World #27 (Saturday, June 17, 2017): “Listening to God Before We Speak for Him,” by A.W. Tozer

My family and I have had morning devotions, or family altar as some people call it, everyday ever since my wife, Meriqua, and I were married 30 years ago. We have prayed and read the bible together as well as other devotional books as a family and it is the only reason why this family has stayed together and it is the only reason why God has blessed our family and used our family in ministry all of these years. We read Ephesians 5 and 6 every morning as it relates to the role of each member of the family and how that we need to put on the whole armor of God to fight against the devil who is seeking to destroy our family and all Christian families, churches, and Christians. So, now after 30 years of doing this in our home, we are opening this up to others who don’t have a family to pray with, who don’t have a spouse, who are single by choice, and to encourage all families who are still in tact to go back to the family altar and have devotions together every morning. In these devotions, you may hear me deal with a temptation I’m facing in my life, you may hear me rebuke my wife about not doing what she should be doing, or you may hear me get on one of my children’s cases about something they’re doing. Don’t be shocked; this is real life.

SING “GLORIA PATRI”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
And to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be:
World without end. Amen.

Cristin Slade said, “The word devotion means profound dedication. To break this down further, profound dedication means the deep penetration of one’s thoughts and actions to be wholly committed to something. Your devotion isn’t found in doing a devotion. It’s found in your dedication to the Lord.”

GENERAL PRAYER

PRAY THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name,
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy Will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For Thine is the Kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Amen.

———

DEVOTIONAL PASSAGE: PSALM 22:11-21

11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

19 But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.

20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

21 Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

———

Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary, “In these verses, we have Christ suffering and Christ praying, by which we are directed to look for crosses and to look up to God under them. The very manner of Christ’s death is described, though that form of execution was not in use among the Jews. Christ in his agony prayed earnestly that the cup might pass from him. When we cannot rejoice in God as our song, let us stay ourselves upon him as our strength; and take the comfort of spiritual supports when we cannot have spiritual delights. He prays to be delivered from the Divine wrath. He that has delivered, doth deliver, and will do so. We should think upon the sufferings and resurrection of Christ, till we feel in our souls the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings.”

PRAYER FOR GOVERNMENT LEADERS

1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”

Leaders of the Baptist General Convention of Texas: Executive Director David Hardage

PRAYER FOR CURRENT EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD
Families of 31 people killed in Al-Shabab attack on restaurant in Somalia
Families of 8 people killed, and over 50 injured in explosion at kindergarten in China
Families of 30 people killed and over 70 people injured in Grenfell Tower fire in London as well as the families of those whose bodies have yet to be pulled from the rubble.
Recovery of those wounded in shooting at congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, VA; for the protection of all elected officials
Safety, protection, provision, and deliverance for Syrian citizens who continue to suffer in the middle of a civil war
The peace of Jerusalem
Persecuted Christians around the world

PRAYER REQUESTS

Jnbaptiste
be with his wife and daughter while they are in New Jersey; deliver them from temptation

Patricia
for her only child, Darryl, who is in the music industry; deliver them from gentrification in Prince George’s County; bless them with a new home

Mmahessh
bless Yesaiah Ministries

Donna
Grant her a safe journey to California; help her to find a church home

Inez
help her son, Dwain, to be delivered from drug use, addiction, and unemployment

Losin
for her family, friends, and neighborhood; spiritual, mental, and physical guidance, strength, and protection

Harjinder
deliver him from depression and fear

Anita
give her the husband You want her to have

Ladajah
please bless her with a child and a healthy pregnancy

Donna
please guide her and give her your wisdom while she goes through divorce and in other tough decisions; help her to go to church again and have great faith; save her children and husband and help them to stay together if it is Your will, continue to fulfill Your plan for her life

PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECOMMITTED THEIR LIVES TO JESUS CHRIST
Maggie
Hipoltus
Sharon
Yakubu
Samantha
Munguacel
Sai

DEVOTIONAL READING: “Listening to God Before We Speak for Him” by A.W. Tozer

Holy men of soberer and quieter times than ours knew well the power of silence. David said, “I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me. While I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue.”

There is a tip here for God’s modern prophets. The heart seldom gets hot while the mouth is open. A closed mouth before God and a silent heart are indispensable for the reception of certain kinds of truth. No man is qualified to speak who has not first listened.

It might well be a wonderful revelation to some Christians if they were to get completely quiet for a short time, long enough, let us say, to get acquainted with their own souls, and to listen in the silence for the deep voice of the Eternal God. The experience, if repeated often enough, would do more to cure our ulcers than all the pills that ever rolled across a desk.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The Bible also says in Romans 10:9 and 13: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved…. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and I want to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! I want to congratulate you on doing the most important thing in life and that is receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

Until next time, May the Lord Bless You!

Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.

He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.